The Under 12 Orchard Valley OMI Eagles hit the tournament trail
earlier this month to fine-tune their game in preparation for
league play.
The Under 12 Orchard Valley OMI Eagles hit the tournament trail earlier this month to fine-tune their game in preparation for league play.
Aug. 2-3 found a bare 13-man team in Mission Viejo to contest some very strong South California teams. The Eagles opened up against Blue Storm with a 3-1 loss. The Eagles only goal came on a cross from Garrett Wheeler to Adam Guerra – who found the back of the net.
The Eagles lost the second game 3-1 to the RSF Attack. Guerra again scored the lone goal on an assist from Nick Salvenmini.
In the their final game on Sunday, the Eagles posted a 6-1 win over Freshno Odyssey. Guerra recorded two goals and Pablo Figueroa scored on a penalty shot. Chris Shaeffer, J.P. Sanchez and Orlando Villa each tallied a goal apiece.
The following weekend the Eagles played in their home tournament, the Morgan Hill/Gilroy Cup and took second-place. The Eagles shutout Petaluma Pumas 4-0 in their first game.
Guerra found the net first with an assist from Wheeler – who later assisted Salvemini for the fourth goal. The second and third goals came from Wheeler – one on a strategically placed header.
Later in the day, their second opponent, Central Valley United, fell 2-0 to the Eagles. Once again, Guerra found the net first then scored again from an assist from Salvemini.
On Sunday against the Davis Strikers, Wheeler scored on an assist from Guerra to send the Eagle to the championship game.
The Eagles were almost at full force in the finale game with 15 players, but it wasn’t enough to beat the fast Almaden Ruckus team. The Eagles were shut out 4-0 and had to settle for second place in the tournament.
Goalies Scott Morgan and Adam Johnson and fullbacks Chris Dasgupta, Jorge Enriquez and Dylan Frechette and midfielders Salvemini, Sanchez and Villa gave the team a strong effort throughout the tournament.
Last weekend, the Eagles traveled to Pleasanton to participate in the challenging Ballistic Summer Classic. The Eagles opened up against the Turlock Tornadoes, who won 2-0. The Eagles also lost their second game to the hometown team, Ballistic United 2-1.
The Eagles, who were playing one man short for 40 minutes, managed to tie the game when Wheeler scored from a long pass by Salvemini that began behind the half-line. Wheeler took the ball up field, faking out the Ballistic goalie for the shot. The Ballistic managed to go ahead with only minutes left.
On Sunday, the Eagles were finally at full force, but it wasn’t enough to beat the Santa Cruz Breakers, who quickly jumped out to a 2-0 lead.
The Eagles, however, stayed strong and fought back, but had to settle with a 6-3 loss. Goals were scored by Villa as well as Greg Hamik and Pedro Ulloa, who were both playing in their first game since returning from vacation.
In the Eagles’ final game, they were matched up against the Danville Mustangs. The two teams fought long and hard until the waning minutes of the game when the Eagles finally broke loose on a goal by Guerra with a double assist via Salvemini and Wheeler for a 1-0 win.
Roupen Arzoumanian, Jordan Bredehoeft, Sean Little, Enriquez, Frechette, Johnson, Sanchez and Villa were praised by the coach for their strong hustle and effort.
This weekend, the Eagles travel to Santa Rosa and then go to Sacramento to complete their preseason travel.
